 | The records of the Virginia Company of London |  |
∥At a Court held for Virginia on
ffriday the 22th of Nouemb. 1622.
being the Sumer Ilandeℯ Preparatiue
Court day.
| ye Right honble∥ | Ea: of Southampton. | |
| Lo: Cauendish. | ||
| Lo: Padgett. | ||
| Sr Edw: Sackuill. | ||
| Sr Iohn Dãuers. | ||
| Sr Io: Brooke. | ||
| Sr Edwin Sandys. | ||
| mr Io: ffarrar. | mr Paulavicine. | mr Webbe. |
| mr Nicho ffarrar Dpt. | mr Widdowes. | mr Iadwin. |
| mr Gibbs mr Wrote. | mr Nicholleℯ. | mr Seaward. |
| mr Bromefeild. | mr Meuerell. | mr Bolton. |
| mr Wrote. | mr Roberteℯ. | mr Cuffe. |
| mr Binge. | mr Baynham. | mr Hackett. |
| mr Rogers. | mr Etheridge. | mr Harris. |
| mr Io: Smith. | mr mr Mellinge. | mr Copland. |
| mr Ro: Smith. | mr Edwardeℯ. | mr Withers. |
| mr Berblocke. | mr Geo: Smith. | mr Tomlins. |
| mr Ditchfeld. | mr Sparrowe. | with diuers others. |
| mr Caswell. | mr Newport. | |
| mr Swinhowe. | mr Harrison. |
This daye beinge the Præparatiue Court for the Sum̃er Ilands; after
that the Sum̃er Ilandeℯ Court had passed all the perticuler buissinesses
that were to be considered of and come to the great matter, the Con-
tract with his [91] Matie they thinkinge it most convenient to receaue
the informac̃on of what the Ea: of Southampton and Sr Edwin San-
dys had donne concerninge the qualificac̃on of the Proposition referred
vnto them by the Virginia Quarter Court from them as in a Virginia
Court desired that the Sum̃er Ilandeℯ Court beinge suspended a Vir-
ginia Court might begin wch accordingly was donn, the Ea: of South-
ampton takinge the Chaire.
And after a recapitulac̃on of all that had passed the Quarter Court,
he presented ∥the∥ eight Propositions qualified in manner followinge
(vizt:)
And it is desired that an indifferent Couenant be drawne vp by his
Mats learned Counsell and the Counsell for Virginia and the Sum̃er
Ilands, that in case an extraordinary charge shall haue bin laid
vpon the said Varinaes Tobacco by the State of Spayne since the
feast of St Michaell the Archangell last past (beinge the time since
§whence§ this Contract is to haue begininge) or hereafter shall be laid
duringe the time of three yeares from thence next ensuinge more then
panies shalbe clearely discharged of their said Couenant of bringing in
of Spanish Tobacco from the time the said extraordinary charge
shalbe laide vntill it be reversed and after the reversinge thereof,
the quantity of the best varinaes Tobacco wch shall then remayne
vnbrought in of the said fowerscore thousand waight shalbe brought
in within the compasse of the first three yeares wch shalbe or haue
bin cleare from the said extraordinary charge to be computed from
the bringinge of this Contract, and in case there appeare any prac-
tise by the ∥sd∥ Merchanteℯ of Spayne or others by meanes whereof
the said Companies cannot make their Prouisions of the said quanti-
tie of the best varinaes Tobacco as they haue agreed vnto but to their
excessiue charge; In such case the Companies not to be pressed vpon
the said Couenant in extreamity, but to make his Matie such satisfacc̃on
as shalbe iust and conscionable, but if by the practise and fraude, or
negligence of the said Companies their factors or Deputies the said
quantitie of 80000 waight of the best Varinaes Tobacco shall not be
imported within the compasse of the said first three yeares, then the
said Companies shalbe answeareable to his Matie for euery pound
waight so wantinge of the said Varinaes Tobacco belonginge to his
Mats Third after the rate of 10s, the pound waight.
Wch beinge read the Ea: of Southampton acquainted them that
although the wordeℯ were drawne vp by Sr Edwin Sandys yet it was
directly accordinge to their agreement with my Lo: Treasuror and
that his lp: gaue them order so to sett it downe, and that (he said)
was all and the best that they could obtaine, wherefore he willed the
Companie would deliuer their mindeℯ freely whither they would in this
manner accept of the bargaine or noe: Wherevpon although there
were some fewe exceptions taken at it, yet in the end the Court
seemed to conceaue a necessity in concludinge the Bargaine for the
mainetenance and vpholdinge of the Plantation and that hauinge
yealded to so many thingeℯ certainely preiudiciall to him ∥vnto them∥
in matter of proffitt it were not wisedome nowe to breake vpon feare of
vncertaine dangers wch they might easily (by Godeℯ blessinge) through
good care and proff prouidence ouercome: wherefore esteeminge
person) not as good meat well sawced but of a porc̃on necessarie for
their health beinge willing (as his lp: said) deuorare molestiam of
this bitter pill, they desired the Ea: of Southampton to put it to the
question: Wherevpon the Article by erecc̃on of handeℯ was confirmed
∥and approued∥ accordingly as it was read: After, of Bar wch his
lp: said, that since nowe they were in such liklyhood to conclude
the bargaine, himselfe and the rest of the Lordeℯ together with the
Counsell and Com̃ittee wch had mett vpon Tuesday before the Quarter
Court, thought it most requisite to nominate some of the principall
Officers who were to haue the orderinge and managing of this buissi-
nes: wch beinge well chosen both for sufficiency and integrity, would
giue much encouragement and content to both the Companies and Collonies and
all others that had interest in this buissines, Herevpon
the Lord Cauendish acquainted the Court that the Com̃ittee thought
that there was to be one chiefe man to gouerne and direct all, and that
next vnder him, there should be a Deputy and then a Treasurer and
next them 8: Com̃ittees at the least besideℯ the Officers as for the places
of Deputy and Treasuror although they were two distinct places and
Offices, yet because they were afraide this yeare not to be able to
raise such a sufficiencie of meanes as might be a iust reward to two
such p̱sons as were requisite for the p̱formance of those seuerall places
they thought it best to vnite them for this yeare and that the Treas-
uror besideℯ the charge of that office should likewise be the Deputy to
the Director, wch ∥course∥ the Court seemed well to like of and there-
vpon nominated Sr Edwin Sandys for Director, who very earnestly
besought them to spare him, beinge vnexperienced in matter of mar-
chandizinge and tradinge, of both wch that Officer would require exact
knowledge, besideℯ he could not continually reside in Towne havinge
a great family in the Country, and began nowe as he grewe old to waxe
weake, and therefore purposed rather to withdrawe himselfe from
buissinesses of the world then to engage himselfe further, But the
Court not satisfied with his reasons earnestly pressed him (and in per-
ticuler the Ea: of Southampton and the other Lordeℯ) not to refuse
the place wherein he might do soe singuler seruice vnto the Planta-
c̃on, the whole welfare of which did almost depend vpon the good
Court it beinge put to the question he was nominated to stand in elec-
c̃on for that place at the Quarter Court.
Next the Court proceeded to the nominac̃on of a Treasuror, for wch
proposinge mr Iohn ffarrar he desired the Companie to consider what
a burden of buissines they had already laid vpon him wch had made
him to neglect his owne priuate estate, for almost these fower yeares
together: All wch although the Court acknowledged yet they held him
so fitt a man for that buissines ∥as∥ that they would propose no other
to be Treasuror, and therevpon beinge put to the question, he was by
a generall erecc̃on of handeℯ nominated to stand in elecc̃on for the
place of Treasuror, wherevnto at last he submitted himselfe As for
the nominatinge of the Com̃ittees and other Officers with the Salaries
the Ea: of Southampton thought it most fitt to leaue it to the con-
siderac̃on of the Quarter Court on the next Wedensday. [93]
Sr Iohn Brooke moued that in reguard Captaine Martin went away
from the last Court so ill satisfied in his buissines, and had therevpon
not spared to wronge some worthie members of this Companie verie
well deservinge with his clamerous reporteℯ, in such a manner as if
himselfe had bin so vsed he would neuer haue come to the Courteℯ
againe without reparac̃on ∥reparation∥, that therefore there might
be a meetinge on purpose to heare what he could saye for him-
selfe, at wch meetinge he wished the mr of the Rolleℯ (vnto whome he
was allied) might be also entreated to ∥be∥ present: Wherevpon it
was ordered that mr Deputy should giue notice to the Mr of the Rolleℯ
that the Companie would be ready to attend his Honor about Capt:
Martin, whensoeuer it should please him to appointe a meetinge.
A request was made in the behalfe of one Iohn Waller an auncient
Planter in Virginia that forasmuch as he paid in to Sr Tho: Smith
30li in Ianuary i606 as appeared by a Note vnder Sr Tho: Smiths hand
(nowe presented in Court) that therefore the Companie would please
to graunt him a ratable proporc̃on of land for his said aduenture, as
also reforme the Printed booke, where he ∥is∥ acknowledged to haue
repaire to Sr Tho: Smith and shewe him the said Note, wch if Sr Tho:
did acknowledge to be his hand, he should be allowed the proporc̃on
of land due vnto him for his said money and be also rectified in the
Booke.
| The records of the Virginia Company of London | |